Beyond The Great Green Room...

Have you ventured past the "great green room" of Goodnight Moon and into any of Margaret Wise Brown's other stories?  When my children were young, Goodnight Moon (1949) and The Runaway Bunny (1942) were among their first favorites. If you can't get enough of her charming, rhythmic, rhyming writing, this post is for you!

Brown penned over 100 published works during her life. My personal favorite growing up was Home For A Bunny (1956), illustrated by Garth Williams. 

After Margaret Wise Brown’s untimely death at age 42 in 1952, dozens of her unpublished writings were found almost forty years later in 1990. The papers, preserved in a cedar-lined trunk and stored in the attic of a Vermont barn belonging to Brown’s sister, had sat largely untouched since the early 1950s.  Those stories are now being published as brand-new books (read more here).

Sometime after my first grandson was born, we discovered The Fathers Are Coming Home (2010, illustrated by Stephen Savage and previously blogged about here).

My daughter discovered Two Little Trains (2003, re-illustrated, but first published in 1949) at their local library for grandson number two.

A must-read for any train obsessed child, Two Little Trains follows the parallel journeys of a real train and a toy train. The toy train mirrors the real train's journey to the West, but in a house with objects like a rug track, a book tunnel, and a bathtub river.  

The illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon are sleek, with muted colors.  They fit Brown's imaginative story perfectly.  Any child's imagination would be stirred by the fun pictorial match-up details of both trains' journeys!

Recently, since the birth of our third grandchild, I've discovered three more books by this prolific children's book author!  The first two are stand alone stories that also happen to be included in my newest find and third recommendation, Mouse of My Heart, a collection from the archives of Margaret Wise Brown.

Book #1 - All the Little Fathers (2015), has colorful, fun illustrations by Marilyn Faucher...
Animal fathers are caring for and playing with their animal children.  The lions are roaring, the dogs are getting bones,  the monkeys are hanging out, the cats are purring... and of course in the end, the fathers are putting their children to bed.  This book would be a perfect Father's Day gift!

Book #2 - The Diggers, first published in 1960 (with illustrations by Clement Hurd), is a timeless narrative about the universal experience of digging, from a worm winding its way through the earth to the swinging of the great jaws of the steam shovel.

I haven't seen the original book, or the one illustrated by Daniel Kirk, featuring a child's foot on a shovel (published in 1995), but I was immediately drawn to the bright, quirky, fun pictures by French illustrator, Antoine Corbineau in the newest edition, published in 2013!  Future diggers and engineers will love it!

Finally, Book #3 - Mouse of My Heart, A Treasury of Sense and Nonsense, (2001) with sweet illustrations by Loretta Krupinski, has won my heart!

It's a collection of 56 poems and stories by Margaret Wise Brown, many previously unpublished.  This anthology is grouped according to themes such as Adventure, Love and Friendship, Bedtime, Happiness, Big and Little, and Nature. 

I found my copy used online - and it's a treasure! The introduction is by Brown's noted biographer, Leonard S. Marcus. The whimsical illustrations by Loretta Krupinski are gorgeous, done in jewel-tone colors.

All of Margaret Wise Brown's stories and poems are timeless, as she invites us in...

Do you have a favorite?

MOUSE OF MY HEART

Mouse mouse

Why do you start

Timid and shy

As a human heart?

Mouse mouse

Where do you glide

Like a soft gray shadow 

Trying to hide?

Mouse mouse

Where is your den

Far from the eyes 

Of cats and men?

What Was God Thinking...?

On the first and last pages of her exquisite new picture book, When God Made You, Jane G. Meyer poses a question to young readers: "What beautiful thing was God thinking when he made you?"

Jane's lyrical text and Megan Elizabeth Gilbert's vibrant water color illustrations celebrate God's special masterpieces: children, of all diverse backgrounds and unique talents.

I'm sure that kids of every age will enjoy pouring over the book while being introduced to boys and girls from all over the world...Makani from Hawaii; Brigid from Ireland; Chinedu from Africa; and Mateo from Greece, to name a few.

My favorite is an Arabic girl, Alia...

When God made Alia, He took black silken hair from a desert horse's mane, 

wound the strands round a silver flute, 
and blew one note into the sleeping child's ear.  

From a cool desert spring, God shaped three tear-shaped droplets 
onto Alia's lips and blessed them: 
one for clarity, one for purity, and one for boldness. 

Satisfied, God said

Alia, SING! 

This book is carefully crafted from cover to cover - the last pages are devoted to beautiful thoughts and prayers.  There are also explanations running around the outer edges of the pages disclosing the meanings of the children's names featured in the book, as well as their country of origin.  

Would you like a chance to win this book?  I'm doing a Giveaway today!  Please leave a comment for a chance to win Jane G. Meyer's When God Made You.  Giveaway ends February 23, 2016 at midnight.  Winner announced on my blog a week from today, 2/24/16. Update, 2/24/16:  Giveaway over.  Congratulations to my winner, Rebeca!

I love the fun end papers showing all kinds of children doing all kinds of things!  Maybe one looks like your child...

Meet Molly Coxe - And Enter My Giveaway for a Chance to Win Her Book "Benjamin and Bumper To the Rescue"! (Two Lucky Winners Will be Chosen)

I'm so happy to be interviewing author/illustrator Molly Coxe today, and I'm beyond excited that she's offered an autographed hard back copy of her adorable book, Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue, to TWO of my lucky blog followers!  (Details about how to enter the GIVEAWAY at the end of this post). 2/28/14 UPDATE:  GIVEAWAY OVER

I highlighted Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue on yesterday's post, but if you missed it, you can watch a cute "Sneak Peek" video of the book below:

Molly Coxe's children’s books have sold 1.8 million copies.  For Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue, she not only wrote the story, but also made the characters and designed the sets.  The photos were taken by Olivier Toppin, a French photographer. “We were like two kids playing,” says Molly. “I’ve never had so much fun ‘working.’”

Molly graduated from Princeton University with a B.A. in English Literature. She has taught pre-school and currently lives in Southern California.

It's been great getting to know Molly Coxe a little bit.  She has most recently been working on fun early readers (doing her own photography this time!) which feature felted animal characters done in the same style as Benjamin and Bumper. 

The first "short vowel adventure",  Rat Attack, is currently only available as an e-reader (in English, and 8 different bilingual editions). There will be print versions of the English edition (and possibly the Spanish and Mandarin editions) of Rat Attack by next fall.  Molly is already working on her second early reader, Princess Pig. 

Here are some more things Molly and I talked about...pull up a chair, and listen in!

GoodBooks: How did you get started in this process of creating "stuffed" felt book characters and designing miniature sets for "Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue" and your early reader books? 
Molly: My earlier books – Big Egg, Cat Traps, Hot Dog, etc. [go here to see a list of all her books available on Amazon] - were illustrated in a more conventional manner, using paint and pen on paper. One day I realized my drawing style had reached a plateau. I wasn't getting better, and I wasn't discovering anything new. I remembered how much I enjoyed playing with stuffed animals as a child. I created stories, whole worlds, using stuffed animals and scraps of fabric, bits of this and that. I started experimenting, and many wool and fabric mice and elephants later, I realized the characters were starting to feel "real," to me at least. At that point, I just needed to create an environment for them and set them loose to see what happened!

GoodBooks:  It all seems quite involved, and the love you put into these projects shines through - the stories are so imaginative! Did you have any particular children in mind as your wrote them, or were you perhaps reminded of your own childhood?
Molly: Yes, as I mentioned above, I loved "imaginary play" as a child, and I also loved to write plays. The first one, about a lost giraffe, was "produced" in my second grade class. It was very simple, nothing at all spectacular, but I remember watching the other children assume their roles. Suddenly, the "real" world fell away, and with just a few simple props, everyone was a participant in an imaginary world. It was magical. My son, Will, now 26, also spent hours creating fantasy realms with characters he made out of sculpey clay. He just needed a bit of raw material, and his imagination supplied the rest. I'm so glad you can feel the love! It may sound odd, but I develop a relationship with the characters as I make them, and they begin to develop personalities. When I'm shooting the photographs, I find myself apologizing when I need to attach a pair of wings, or a a pair of trousers with a straight pin.

GoodBooks: What were some of your favorite children's books, growing up? How much have they influenced your own storytelling? 
Molly: My favorite books growing up were all by writers who are much much better writers than I will ever be. I loved Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White. I loved Winnie the Pooh. I love The BFG and Matilda by Roald Dahl. In college, I studied Dickens. I am really a visual storyteller. The illustrations do most of the work. I can string a maximum of five words together before I start getting muddled. That's why Picture Books and Early Readers are a perfect fit for me! You have to try to tell a fresh story in very very simple language, and you call on the images for backup!

Good Books: How did you find Olivier Toppin, the French photographer, who collaborated with you? 
Molly: Olivier Toppin was the photographer for Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue. He lived in a village near where my parents live, in southern France.  I am taking the photos for the BraveMouse Readers. I am fascinated by photography and how you can create a world with light. I think it's fair to say I'm pretty patient and willing to spend many many hours making "mistakes".

Good Books: I read that your mission is "to create books that young children and adults love to share together, and want to read again and again." What, in your opinion, is the secret to writing books that attract both children and adults?
Molly: Good stories, period.

Well, I couldn't agree more!  And I know you will just love her well-told tale about Benjamin and Bumper - it's full of fun, friendship, and adventure!  Here's how to enter for a chance to win a signed copy (remember, TWO WINNERS will be chosen):

How to Enter the Giveaway: GIVEAWAY OVER 2/28/14

1.  Sign in to the Rafflecopter widget (below) with your name and email. This is the only way to be officially entered into the giveaway! 
2. You will see a list of tasks with big green buttons next to them. Each task has a point value. 
3. Click on the ones you want to complete and follow the instructions. Please note that it is not enough to just click the green buttons; you must also complete the task to earn the points. 
4. The more tasks you complete, the more times your name goes in the hat to increase your chances of winning. 

IMPORTANT: You must sign in to the Rafflecopter widget below in order to be “officially” entered in this giveaway! (Your email won’t be published or shared. I use emails only to contact the winner.)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Details: GIVEAWAY OVER 2/28/14

• The giveaway will be closed at 11:59 p.m., Thursday, February 27, 2014 . 
• Winner will be announced on Friday, February 28, 2014. 
• In order to enter the contest, you must sign in to the Rafflecopter widget and complete at least one task. Winner is chosen randomly by Rafflecopter. 
• Giveaway is open to residents of the United States only. 
• The winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter and contacted via email. If the winner does not respond with the requested contact information within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

GIVEAWAY COMING: BENJAMIN AND BUMPER TO THE RESCUE!

Everything about the picture book I'm giving away tomorrow will appeal to both boys and girls: it's got fuzzy handcrafted felt animal characters (which include two brave heroes and a villain), fun props and cozy three-dimensional sets, an adventurous plot, and a happy ending.  It's an imaginative world that's been lovingly created by Molly Coxe, and beautifully photographed by Olivier Toppin.

I fell in love with Molly Coxe's Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue when my daughter brought it home from the library a few weeks ago (I seriously wanted to climb right into the photographs), and I immediately went on the BraveMouse Books website to contact the author for a blog interview.

Molly happily agreed to do the interview and also graciously offered to give away two copies of Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue to two of my (lucky!) blog followers.

You'll be able to enter the giveaway for Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue tomorrow when I post my interview with Molly, and also tell you about her current projects; but today I'd like to introduce you to the book we'll be giving away. Giveaway Over.

As you've probably deduced from the cover, the main characters of this story are a mouse and an elephant:  an unlikely pair of heroes who happen to be best friends.

Tiny Benjamin Middlemouse lives with his mother in a cozy wooden wardrobe in a little boy’s bedroom in an old house.

His mother, Mrs. Middlemouse, is late coming home one day. 

Where could she be? Benjamin asks his friend, a big, brave elephant named Bumper (who also lives in the little boy's bedroom - on the boy's bed), to help find her.

Their quest begins as Benjamin and Bumper pack up their supplies…

...and follow some clues that lead them to the garden and eventually to Sir Pouncelot, a very hungry cat.  

How will Benjamin and Bumper be able to outsmart Sir Pouncelot and save Mrs. Middlemouse?  You'll have to read the book to find out!

Be sure to stop back by my blog tomorrow for my interview with Molly Coxe and for details of how to enter our special GIVEAWAY of two copies of Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue. Giveaway over.

A BALLOON RACE FOR VALENTINE'S DAY

Feelings of nostalgia rise (along with the hot-air balloons on the cover of this book) every time I look at this fun recommendation that I'm re-posting from last year: 

The Great Valentine's Day Balloon Race

Published in 1980, it is one of Adrienne Adams' stories involving The Easter Egg Artists (1976), about a Rabbit family by the name of Abbott.  They have a son named Orson (get it? "Orson Abbott"/Our son Rabbit.)

In this particular tale, the Abbotts return for another adventure: Orson is determined to enter the Valentine's Day balloon race, but first, he must figure out how to build a hot-air balloon....with help from his parents and his neighbor, a bunny named "Bonnie".

They know how to make a balloon fly..."You just fill it with
something lighter than air, and it must go up."  They even tie
a big clothes basket to the bottom of the balloon to ride in...
Father goes first, but does not have a successful flight.

After the mishap, Orson figures out they need to make some
changes, so the whole family works on the balloon -
Bonnie, too.

Spreading the balloon on the ground, they puff it up
with a big electric fan.

They finally get it up and flying.  Orson names it
"Bonnies Valentine".  But the balloon needs some color....

After decorating it with some red hearts and flowers, it's
all ready to go! You'll have to read the story to find out
if they've got the know-how to win the race!

Any boy or girl would love this picture book (and will learn something about the science of hot-air balloons at the same time). Adrienne Adams' clear, colorful art is a perfect accompaniment to the fun adventure - for Valentine's Day or any day!!

source

Adrienne Adams was a very prolific illustrator of children's books.  I especially love her stylized work of the 1960's. Her Snow White and Rose Red (1964) and Twelve Dancing Princesses (1966) - both Brothers Grimm fairytales - were childhood favorites of mine (click the titles to see her illustrations).  Another of my childhood favorites (published in 1968) is Mouse House, illustrated by Adams and written by Rumer Godden (they also teamed together for Holly and Ivy, 1958.)

You can read more about Adams and see some of her other books here and here.

You can read my previous Valentine's Day posts here.

Something else for Valentine's Day:  February 14th (here before you know it!) is also "International Book Giving Day"!  Consider "Leaving a Book, Giving a Book, or Donating a Book" for a child, a friend, a school - anyone! 

Go here for details.  Remember,

A Book is a Gift you can open again and again

-Garrison Keillor

Goodnight Moon! (and Happy Birthday to Claude Debussy...)

We didn't see a cow jumping over Tuesday night's  "Blue" Moon , but nonetheless we could not stop gazing up at it during our impromptu dinner outside by our pool!

It got me thinking about some of my favorite literary full moons...

Best Literary Moons:
Poetry: The Song of the Jellicles, T.S. Elliot
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod (Dutch Lullaby), Eugene Field
A Full Moon is Rising (collection of poems), Marilyn Singer

Picture Books:
Goodnight Moon, and Wait Til the Moon is Full, Margaret Wise Brown
White is the Moon, Valerie Greeley
Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me, Eric Carle
I'll See You When the Moon is Full, Jim and Susi Gregg Fowler
Owl Moon, Jane Yolen

Non-Fiction:
The Moon Book, Gail Gibbons


Do you have any favorites to add?  I hope you got to enjoy the full moon too - the next Blue Moon isn't set to occur until 2015.

By the way, did you see today's Google Doodle, commemorating the birth of Claude Debussy, composer of the beautiful Clair de Lune ("Moonlight" in French)?

WHAT'S ON MY SPRING BOOKSHELF?

Spring is here, and Easter is near! Yesterday was the first official day of Spring. To celebrate, I got out some special books just for you. Any of these picture books make great Spring reading, and would be perfect for a child's Easter basket (watch for my next post: ideas for making book-themed Easter baskets). 

Right click on the titles for descriptions of each book.  I've listed them from left to right on the shelf...

1- What Do You Hear, Angel? Elizabeth Crispina Johnson/Masha Lobastov.
2- The Three Little Pigs, Paul Galdone  
3- Home for a Bunny, Margaret Wise Brown/Garth Williams
4- The Paintbrush Bunny, Adrienne Adams
5- The Hidden Garden, Jane G. Meyer/Masha Lobostav
6- Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present, Charlotte Zolotow/Maruice Sendak
7- Because You are My Baby, Jennifer Ward/Sylvia Long 
8- Easter Eggs For Anya, Virginia Kroll/Sally Wern Comport

Do you have a favorite Spring-themed book?  I'd love to know what it is!

My Vote (for the most inspiring picture book of 2012)

On the eve of Election Day, I've been considering what might be the most inspiring picture book of 2012.  My vote?  Seed by Seed, The Legend and Legacy of John "Appleseed" Chapman.

Reading through this book is like walking through a living history museum!  In the opening pages, author Esmé Raji Codell asks, "When we look out our windows, what do we see?"  She then begins to describe how things used to look, as Lynn Rae Perkins' soothing pictures take us through a "tree-bough-tangled world" of the past...  

Illustrator Lynn Rae Perkins immersed herself in the life and times of Johnny Appleseed for her research: visiting museums, hiking, and even spending hours stitching a beautiful sampler that appears in the book.

source

Lynn Rae Perkins: Esmé writes about the “five footsteps” Johnny left for us to walk in, ideas that we can emulate in our own lives. I decided to try to embody those ideas in physical objects. I thought it would make it easier for kids to remember them. Also, I like, really really like, making stuff. This meant more research, because I wanted the objects to represent the idea, but also to be of Johnny’s time and place. I wanted them to be things that would have words on them: maps, books, embroidery, painted signs. But what did those things look like back then? Which things were present in ordinary people’s lives?

FIVE FOOTSTEPS:

1. Use what you have.
2. Share what you have.
3. Respect Nature.
4. Try to make peace where there is war.
5. You can reach your destination by taking small steps.

Here at Good Books For Young Souls, I've done a couple of posts on Johnny Appleseed, and this particular book is very unique.  Author Esmé Raji Codell is, I think, the biggest John Chapman fan/enthusiast I've ever come across! Why did she write this book, when there are so many others out there?  On her blog, she explains:
...what I was really looking for was a book that not only walked through the narrative of John Chapman’s storied life, but one that would make the legend of Johnny Appleseed relevant to the modern, urban readers in the Chicago Public Schools, the children with whom I was reading. The question wasn't "who was Johnny Appleseed?" The question was, "Why should we care who he was?" I wanted a book that made readers love Johnny Appleseed, be inspired by him and want to emulate his example, even over the distance of history. I had that experience, and I wanted to share it. So the first thing I did in approaching SEED BY SEED was think, what is it about John Chapman that transcends time? What about him touches me in both a secular way and a spiritual way, and how can that been written about so it will touch someone else?

One of my favorite stories that Esmé relates about Johnny?  
It is said that John Chapman used his open shirt pocket as a pouch to carry his books.  It is also said that he ripped books into chapters in order to circulate them between settlers.  He liked to gather children and their families around him and delight them with a story time...In this way, he was the frontier's first librarian!

I'm sure we can all take a lesson from Johnny Appleseed, a man who lived by example, was kind and pious, and had respect for all living things:

Seed by seed, deed by deed,

Johnny Appleseed changed the landscape of a nation.

And now it's your turn.

One small deed, every day.

Tomorrow, go do your good deed for the day and exercise your freedom to vote!  And if you treat yourself to this book, you'll find a recipe for Johnny's favorite dessert on the last page!  Apple Pie and voting - it doesn't get much more American than that!

IMPORTANT NEWS FOR PARENTS, AND GOOD NEWS FOR "REAL" BOOKS

source

I can't tell you how happy reading these words made me today: "Reading forges connections between parents and children... It's also good for little brains. But does the form in which the words appear matter? The New York Times reports that parents — even those who are avid digital downloaders — are shunning kids' e-books for the real thing. It seems that the feel and texture of paper pages dappled with colorful illustrations trumps the static dimensions of a screen."

source: Oleana's Blog

The above quote is from an article, "Why Parents Still Want to Read Real Books, Not E-Books, to their Kids", from TIME Magazine which is citing a New York Times report, "For Their Children, Many E-book Fans Insist on Paper."

from PARENTS CONNECT:
 "Best Loved Books - A Dozen We Love"

The TIME Magazine article also mentions two previously published pieces that parents of very young children should read before plopping their little ones in front of a television or handing them an iPad: "Should You 2-Year-Old Be Using an iPad?" and "'Educational T.V.' For Babies: It Doesn't Exist".


Hurray for books!

SUMMER SEDUCTION AT THE LIBRARY?

seduce (v.)- to win over, attract, or lure.


Yes - Summer Reading Programs are a successful way many libraries lure children to their bookshelves and win kids over to the world of reading.  For example, the CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY'S 2011 Summer Reading Theme is "Book Beats".  Check out their great list of Noteworthy Books and Music ("to extend your knowledge and experience with music").


BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY'S Summer Reading Program is "One World, Many Stories".  Their website has an interesting book list by subject that can be found HERE.  Many public libraries share this same theme for 2011, including the LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY - CLICK HERE to see LA's many planned events this summer.

My kids always looked forward to the Summer Reading Program at our local library (Huntington Beach Public Library, see article at the end of this post). Armed with their book satchels, they made weekly visits and eagerly awaited the incentive prizes given out for reading a certain number of books - usually stickers, pencils, and coupons for free food at local kid-friendly restaurants.


Don't Get Caught Without a Good Book List...
The challenge was finding quality literature that was inspirational, and of course, F-U-N.  I recently came across two polls conducted by one of School Library Journal's bloggers, Elizabeth Bird (A Fuse #8 Production), that I think you'll find helpful in your book searches.  Elizabeth (who is also a librarian at the Children's Center 42nd Street of the NY Public Library system) polled other children's book bloggers to get these lists.  Do you agree with the poll results?

THE TOP 100 PICTURE BOOK POLL RESULTS These books are for children ages 4-8.  The poll is from 2009.
THE TOP 100 CHILDREN'S NOVELS (CHAPTER BOOK) POLL RESULTS These are books for kids who can read full chapters on their own and who are under the age of 13.  The poll is from 2010.

You might also find these two lists from the NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY website helpful:
100 PICTURE BOOKS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW (this list of recommended books is in alphabetical order and contains short book summaries).
100 FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOKS (This reading list allows you to look at the recommended chapter books according to genre).

From "Lola at the Library", by Anna McQuinn,
illustrations by Rosalind Beardshaw.

NOTE: The impetus for my post today was a great article by Teryl Zarnow, from my own local ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER.  In "They Go Old School to Hook Little Readers", Zarnow applauds the FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN'S LIBRARY in Huntington Beach for helping the city's public library kick-off its Summer Reading Program with its daylong FESTIVAL OF FOLKTALES.  She reports that during the Summer Reading Program "...some 63 volunteers read to about 200 children, burning through stickers like tissues during allergy season."  Zarnow suggests readers visit their local public library, where "they are still practicing magic and bringing new generations under the spell of reading".

Do you live in Orange County, CA, like I do?  Check out the O.C. Public Library Summer Reading Program Schedule HERE.

LAUREN CHILD, POST #1

LET ME INTRODUCE YOU...

Are you acquainted with Lauren Child?  She is one of my favorite author/illustrators of contemporary children's picture books.  Her quirky humor and unique collage-style art draw kids and adults alike to her books.  You can read about her journey in becoming a best-selling children's book author HERE, in the British newspaper THE GUARDIAN.

I thought this photo of her kitchen was cute.  She says, "My mother used to have this joke with me when I was little that I used to arrange things in my room to look like a shop window, and when she came in here she said I still haven't grown out of it."

Writer and illustrator Lauren Child's kitchen. Photograph: Beth Evans

I was introduced to Lauren's fun books by my library side-kick, 5-year-old Sophie and her mom.  We've read several Lauren Child books together and I look forward to sharing them with you in my posts this week.

Here's the first one Sophie introduced me to:

BEWARE OF THE STORYBOOK WOLVES “It’s bad news for a boy named Herb when the Big Bad Wolf and a little not-so-bad wolf fall out of a storybook, drooling and hungry. Thank goodness for fairy godmothers. After all, who else can bring the big wolf down to size and turn the little wolf into a fashion plate? If all that sounds silly, it is. It’s meant to be, in Beware of the Storybook Wolves. With a sly wit and a handful of evocative characters, Lauren Child takes the familiar “once upon a time” story, shakes it and then spins it for a giggle. Imagine Mother Goose meeting Roald Dahl’s “Enormous Crocodile.” The result is a smile-provoking yarn full of fairy-tale twists.”-- The New York Times

If your kids like this kind of wacky humor, they'll like Child's second book about Herb:

WHO'S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD BOOK? "When Herb falls asleep with his head on top of a dusty book of fairy tales, he finds himself stuck inside the volume with no quick way out. Chased by a raging Goldilocks, who is upset that he landed in her story, the boy journeys through a parade of fairy tales and finally gets caught in the middle of "Cinderella." All of his past mishandling of the book comes back to haunt him-Cinderella's kitchen is sticky with cookie crumbs, the Queen does not appreciate the mustache Herb has drawn on her face, and Prince Charming has been missing since he was cut out of the book and used as a birthday-card decoration. Child's wildly expressive collages include boldly patterned backgrounds, cartoon characters, and photographs in unexpected places. The text (and font) grows and shrinks and winds jaggedly through the story, and turns upside down on several pages. This fast-paced creative tale has some really funny moments." - Library School Journal